david elginbrod-第86部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

larger　than　is　commonly　supposed；　circumstances　rarely　combining　to
bring　out　its　peculiarities。　　In　those　who　constitute　this　class；
the　nervous　element；　either　from　preponderating；　or　from　not　being
in　healthy　and　harmonious　combination　with　the　more　material
element；　manifests　itself　beyond　its　ordinary　sphere　of　operation；
and　so　occasions　results　unlike　the　usual　phenomena　of　life；　though；
of　course；　in　accordance　with　natural　laws。　　To　use　a　simile：　it　is；
in　such　cases；　as　if　all　the　nerves　of　the　human　body　came　crowding
to　the　surface；　and　there　exposed　themselves　to　a　thousand
influences；　from　which　they　would　otherwise　be　preserved。　　Of　course
I　am　not　attempting　to　explain；　only　to　suggest　a　conceivable
hypothesis。　　Upon　such　constitutions；　it　would　not　be　surprising
that　certain　other　constitutions；　similar；　yet　differing；　should
exercise　a　peculiar　influence。　　You　are；　I　dare　say；　more　or　less
familiar　with　the　main　features　of　mesmerism　and　its　allies；　among
which　is　what　is　called　biology。　　I　presume　it　is　on　such
constitutions　as　I　have　supposed；　that　those　powers　are　chiefly
operative。　　Miss　Cameron　has；　at　some　time　or　other　in　her　history；
submitted　herself　to　the　influences　of　this　Count　Halkar；　and　he　has
thus　gained　a　most　dangerous　authority　over　her；　which　he　has
exercised　for　his　own　ends。〃

〃She　more　than　implied　as　much　in　the　last　conversation　I　had　with
her。〃

〃So　his　will　became　her　law。　　There　is　in　the　world　of　mind　a
something　corresponding　to　physical　force　in　the　material　world。I
cannot　avoid　just　touching　upon　a　higher　analogy。　　The　kingdom　of
heaven　is　not　come；　even　when　God's　will　is　our　law：　it　is　come　when
God's　will　is　our　will。　　While　God's　will　is　our　law；　we　are　but　a
kind　of　noble　slaves；　when　his　will　is　our　will；　we　are　free
children。　　Nothing　in　nature　is　free　enough　to　be　a　symbol　for　the
state　of　those　who　act　immediately　from　the　essence　of　their　hidden
life；　and　the　recognition　of　God's　will　as　that　essence。　　But；　as　I
said；　this　belongs　to　a　far　higher　region。　　I　only　wanted　to　touch
on　the　relation　of　the　freedomsphysical；　mental；　and　spiritual。
To　return　to　the　point　in　hand：　I　recognise　in　the　story　a　clear
evidence　of　strife　and　partial　victory　in　the　affair　of　the　ring。
The　countwe　will　call　him　by　the　name　he　gives　himselfhad
evidently　been　anxious　for　years　to　possess　himself　of　this　ring：
the　probable　reasons　we　have　already　talked　of。　　He　had　laid　his
injunctions　on　his　slave　to　find　it　for　him；　and　she；　perhaps　at
first　nothing　loath；　perhaps　loving　the　man　as　well　as　submitting　to
him；　had　for　a　long　time　attempted　to　find　it；　but　had　failed。　　The
count；　probably　doubting　her　sincerity；　and　hoping；　at　all　events；
to　urge　her　search；　followed　her　to　Arnstead；　where　it　is　very
likely　he　had　been　before；　although　he　had　avoided　Mr。　Arnold。
Judging　it　advantageous　to　get　into　the　house；　in　order　to　make
observations；　he　employed　his　chance　meeting　with　you　to　that
result。　　But；　before　this；　he　had　watched　Miss　Cameron's　familiarity
with　youwas　jealous　and　tyrannical。　　Hence　the　variations　of　her
conduct　to　you；　for　when　his　power　was　upon　her；　she　could　not　do　as
she　pleased。　　But　she　must　have　had　a　real　regard　for　you；　for　she
evidently　refused　to　get　you　into　trouble　by　taking　the　ring　from
your　custody。　　But　my　surprise　is　that　the　fellow　limited　himself　to
that　one　jewel。〃

〃You　may　soon　be　relieved　from　that　surprise；〃　answered　Hugh：　〃he
took　a　valuable　diamond　of　mine　as　well。〃

〃The　rascal！　　We　may　catch　him；　but　you　are　not　likely　to　find　your
diamond　again。　　Still；　there　is　some　possibility。〃

〃How　do　you　know　she　was　not　willing　to　take　it　from　me？〃

〃Because；　by　her　own　account；　he　had　to　destroy　her　power　of
volition　entirely；　before　he　could　make　her　do　it。　　He　threw　her
into　a　mesmeric　sleep。〃

〃I　should　like　to　understand　his　power　over　her　a　little　better。　　In
such　cases　of　biologyhow　they　came　to　abuse　the　word；　I　should
like　to　know〃

〃Just　as　they　call　table…rapping；　&c。；　spiritualism。〃

〃I　suppose　his　relation　to　her　must　be　classed　amongst　phenomena　of
that　sort？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃Well；　tell　me；　does　the　influence　outlast　the　mesmeric　condition？〃

〃If　by　mesmeric　condition　you　mean　any　state　evidently　approaching
to　that　of　sleepundoubtedly。　　It　is；　in　many　cases；　quite
independent　of　such　a　condition。　　Perhaps　the　degree　of　willing
submission　at　first；　may　have　something　to　do　with　it。　　But　mesmeric
influence；　whatever　it　may　mean；　is　entirely　independent　of　sleep。
That　is　an　accident　accompanying　it；　perhaps　sometimes　indicating
its　culmination。〃

〃Does　the　person　so　influenced　act　with　or　against　his　will？〃

〃That　is　a　most　difficult　question；　involving　others　equally
difficult。　　My　own　impression　is；　that　the　patientfor　patient　in　a
very　serious　sense　he　isacts　with　his　inclination；　and　often　with
his　will；　but　in　many　cases　with　his　inclination　against　his　will。
This　is　a　very　important　distinction　in　morals；　but　often
overlooked。　　When　a　man　is　acting　with　his　inclination；　his　will　is
in　abeyance。　　In　our　present　imperfect　condition；　it　seems　to　me
that　the　absolute　will　has　no　opportunity　of　pure　action；　of
operating　entirely　as　itself；　except　when　working　in　opposition　to
inclination。　　But　to　return：　the　power　of　the　biologist　appears　to
me　to　lie　in　thishe　is　able；　by　some　mysterious　sympathy；　to
produce　in　the　mind　of　the　patient　such　forceful　impulses　to　do
whatever　he　wills；　that　they　are　in　fact　irresistible　to　almost　all
who　are　obnoxious　to　his　influence。　　The　will　requires　an　especial
training　and　a　distinct　development；　before　it　is　capable　of　acting
with　any　degree　of　freedom。　　The　men　who　have　undergone　this　are
very　few　indeed；　and　no　one　whose　will　is　not　educated　as　will；　can；
if　subjected　to　the　influences　of　biology；　resist　the　impulses
roused　in　his　passive　brain　by　the　active　brain　of　the　operator。
This　at　least　is　my　impression。

〃Other　things　no　doubt　combined　to　increase　the　influence　in　the
present　case。　　She　liked　him；　perhaps　more　than　liked　him　once。　　She
was　partially　committed　to　his　schemes；　and　she　was　easily
mesmerised。　　It　would　seem；　besides；　that　she　was　naturally　disposed
to　somnambulism。　　This　is　a　remarkable　co…existence　of　distinct
developments　of　the　same　peculiarity。　　In　this　latter　condition；
even　if　in　others　she　were　able　to　resist　him；　she　would　be　quite
helpless；　for　all　the　thoughts　that　passed　through　her　brain　would
owe　their　origin　to　his。Imagine　being　forced　to　think　another
man's　thoughts！　　That　would　be　possession　indeed！　　And　this　is　not
far　removed　from　the　old　stories　about　the　demons　entering　into　a
man。He　would　be　ruler　over　the　whole　intellectual　life　that　passed
in　her　during　the　time；　and　which　to　her；　as　far　as　the　ideas
suggested　belonged　to　the　outward　world；　would　appear　an　outer　life；
passing　all　round　her；　not　in　her。　　She　would；　in　fact；　be　a
creature　of　his　imagination　for　the　time；　as　much　as　any　character
invented；　and　sent　through　varied　circumstances；　feelings；　and
actions；　by　the　mind　of　the　poet　or　novelist。　　Look　at　the　facts。
She　warned　you　to　beware　of　the　count　that　night　before　you　went
into　the　haunted　bed…chamber。　　Even　when　she　entered　it；　by　your　own
account〃

〃Entered　it？　　Then　you　do　think　it　was　Euphra　who　personated　the
ghost？〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it。　　She　was　sleep…walking。〃

〃But　so　differentsuch　a　death…like　look！〃

〃All　that　was　easy　enough　to　manage。　　She　refused　to　obey　him　at
first。　　He　mesmerized　her。　　It　very　likely　went　farther　than　he
expected；　and　he　succeeded　too　well。　　Experienced；　no　doubt；　in
disguises；　he　dressed　her　as　like　the　dead　Lady　Euphrasia　as　he
could；　following　her　picture。　　Perhaps　she　possessed　such　a
disguise；　and　had　used　it　before。　　He　thus　protected　her　from
suspicion；　and　himself　from　implication。What　was　the　colour　of　the
hair　in　the　picture？〃

〃Golden。〃

〃Hence　the　sparkle　of　gold…dust　in　her　hair。　　The　count　managed　it
all。　　He　willed　that　she　should　go；　and　she　went。　　Her　disguise　was
certain　safety；　should　she　be　seen。　　You　would　suspect　the　ghost　and
no　one　else　if　she　appeared　to　you；　and　you　lost　the　ring　after。
But　even　in　this　state　she　yielded　against　her　better　inclination；
for　she　was　weeping　when　you　saw　her。　　But　she　could　not　help　it。
While　you　lay　on　the　couch　in　the　haunted　chamber；　where　he　carried
you；　the　awful　death…ghost　was　busy　in　your　room；　was　opening　your
desk；　fingering　your　papers；　and　stealing　your　ring。　　It　is　rather　a
frightful　idea。〃

〃She　did　not　take　my　ring；　I　am　sure。　　He　followed　her；　and　took
it。But　she　could　not　have　come　in　at　either　door〃

〃Could　not？　　Did　she　not　go　out　at　one　of　them？　　Besides；　I　do　not
doubt　that　such　a　room　as　that　had　private　communication　with　the
open　air　as　well。　　I　should　much　like　to　examine　the　place。〃

〃But　how　could　she　have　gone　through　the　bolted　door　then？〃

〃That　door　may　have　been　set　in　another；　larger　by　half　the　frame　or
so；　and　opening　with　a　spring　and　concealed　hinges。　　There　is　no
difficulty　about　that。　　There　are　such　places　to　be　found　now　and
then　in　old　houses。　　But；　indeed；　i